Microplastic pollution from textile consumption in Europe Textiles and plastics are two of the key product value chains that are considered a priority in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan (EC, 2020a). As a result, the EEA has devoted specific attention to textiles and plastics in the circular economy, building the knowledge base on the textiles and plastics systems, their environmental and social impacts, and potential pathways to more sustainable and circular systems. The briefing Textiles in Europe’s Circular Economy (EEA, 2019) and its underpinning ETC report Textiles and the environment in a circular economy (ETC/WMGE, 2019) highlighted the sector’s significant environmental impacts, ranking textiles as the fourth most significant in the use of primary raw materials and water – after food, housing and transport, and fifth for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study also highlighted that synthetic fibres have overtaken cotton in the production of clothing, household textiles and technical textiles. Mehr Details
A stitch in time saved none: How fashion brands fuelled violence in the factory and beyond The study documents women garment workers’ experiences of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in Asian production countries. It elaborates “economic harm” as a form of GBVH, underscoring how the business models of global apparel brand and their actions during the pandemic-induced recession exacerbated women worker’s vulnerability to violence both inside the factories and in their homes, families, and communities, leading the feminisation of the COVID-19 crisis. Mehr Details
Towards Closed-Loop Fashion Supply Chains—Reflections from Retailer-Facilitated Used Apparel Collection Programs The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters in the business sector. Apart from the pollutions incurred during the production process, clothing disposal and landfill problem also impose a great problem to the environment and the situation has become adverse with the vast number of clothing being disposed every year. Many disposed garments are in fact in good condition that can be reused or they can be recycled into useful raw materials. The idea of closed-loop fashion supply chains has started to draw the attention in the industry. To achieve this, filed, effective collection of post-consumer products is critical. In recent years, a number of fashion companies have been launching programs to collect used clothing from customers. The collected items are resold or donated as second-hand clothing, or are recycled into fibers or fuels, depending on their conditions. Based on secondary data, this study examines the used apparel collection (UAC) programs of four fashion retailers, namely: Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. (Uniqlo), Patagonia Inc., Eileen Fisher Inc. and Hennes & Mauritz (H&M). It discusses the features and advantages of these retailer-facilitated UAC programs. Mehr Details
Remanufactured fashion This book highlights the concept and applications of Remanufactured Fashion. The first book on this subject, it covers reverse logistics, examples, and case studies of remanufactured fashion design. Textile waste is a major issue for all countries, and converting that waste into useful products offers a sensitive solution. Remanufactured Fashion is one such sustainable waste management strategy. It feels the conversion of discarded garments into useful retail products, without which they would be dumped at landfills, posing a number of environmental issues. Remanufacturing recovers a product’s inherent value once that product no longer fulfills the user’s desired needs. The application and use of discarded clothing in remanufacturing processes could greatly reduce the percentage of clothing waste (and mitigate related waste management issues), while also contributing to resource conservation. There has been scanned research investigating what is actually involved in the fashion remanufacturing process and how the process could be up-scaled to the mass market in order to achieve greater environmental gains. This book addresses that gap in the literature and examines all aspects pertaining to the concept and applications of Remanufactured Fashion. Mehr Details
The circular economy: a transformative Covid-19 recovery strategy - How policymakers can pave the way to a low carbon, prosperous future In the unparalleled response to the Covid-19 pandemic, trillions of dollars in economic stimulus have been made available around the world while the calls for a recovery that is in alignment with other global challenges, have never been louder. Many See Beyond the Pandemic: A Rare Opportunity to Build a Resilient and Low-Carbon Economic Recovery. Achieving this goal requires governments to take critical actions that not only focus on safeguarding national economies during crises, but that also pave the way toward a counter economic transformation that is more resilient against future global risks. The Circular Economy, as an instrument to decouple economic growth from resource use and environmental impact, opens up the way for a resilient recovery. It not only addresses the negative impacts of the linear economy, but more importantly it represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits. Chapter 7 and 8 gives ideas and solutions for the fashion industry especially for rental business models and recycling infrastructure. Mehr Details
